Gender Reveal Cream Puffs

I will eventually stop complaining about my crazy work load but that is probably only when it has actually stopped and getting out even one post a week is not a struggle.   Exhausted!  I apologize now for any spelling mistakes.   I am off to put some cucumbers on my eyes.

Anyway.....

So I obviously took the opportunity to tell people what the sex of the baby is by using desserts.  This seemed the only logical step for a mostly dessert food blogger like myself.   The fun thing as well is that I didn't have one single function where I was telling everyone so I was able to make several different desserts to spread the word.
All my reveals have been staggered over the last several weeks so I have been unable to post any of the desserts until the last reveal was done.   The real trick is to come up with a dessert than involves hiding something inside a dessert.  It has been lots of fun!!
This was the first dessert I did for the In-laws,  I also think one of my favorite.

Gender Reveal Cream Puffs

(adapted from Cooks Illustrated)

INGREDIENTS:

Cream Puffs

• 5 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 6 tbsp water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 large eggs + 1 large egg white

Pastry Cream

• 1/2 cup 18% cream
• 1 cup milk (I used almond milk)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• coloured food paste

Dark Chocolate for Dipping - sorry I forget how much now. 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

1) In a medium sauce pan combine milk, water butter, salt and sugar.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring only a few times.

2) Preheat the oven to 425F. Combine eggs in a measuring cup and whisk together.

3) Once the mixture in the saucepan comes to a boil and butter is fully melted,  remove from heat right away and stir in the flour with a wooden spoon or spatula.  Mixture should be well combined and coming clear from the sides of the pan.

4) Return the sauce pan to low heat, stirring and smearing constantly until the mixture becomes slightly shiny. It will sort of look like wet sand and you will see some tiny fat beads on the bottom of the pan.   Just a few minutes - paste should measure 175-180F.

5) Once the paste is ready add this to a food processor and run for a few seconds to cool the paste.   With the machine running add in the eggs in a steady slow stream.    Scrape down the sides then process for another 30 seconds until paste is thick and sticky.

6) Place the mixture into a large piping bag with a circle tip.   Pipe 1 1/2 inch rounds about 1 inch apart.  Using the back of a spoon or your finger dipped in cold water to even out the top and peaks of the mounds.
Bake 15 minutes, do not open door, then reduce to 375F and continue to bake about 8-10 more minutes.  Puffs should be golden and firm.

7) Remove from the oven, using a small pairing knife cut a small slit in each, return to then oven and turn off heat.   Let puffs dry out for 30-45 minutes.   Remove from oven and let cool completely, store in an air tight container until ready to fill. 

8) Make the pastry cream :  Heat the cream, milk, 1/4 cup sugar and salt in a medium sauce pan, (heavy bottomed is best) over medium heat until simmering, stirring off and on to dissolve sugar. 

9) While waiting for the simmering whisk the egg yolks together in a medium bowl, with remaining sugar and salt until mixture is creamy and sugar dissolved. Whisk in the cornstarch until pale and thick.

10) When the milk/cream mixture is simmering, slowly whisk about 1/2-3/4 cup into the eggs to temper them.   Return the mixture to the sauce pan and return the mixture to a simmer, scraping down the pan and stirring with a spatula.   Mixture will become thickened and glossy, about 30 secs to a 1 minute.

13) Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, butter and needed food paste colour.  Strain the cream through a fine mesh strainer.    Cover the mixture with saran wrap, directly to the cream to prevent any film from developing and refrigerate until cold and set.

14) When ready fill a small piping bag in a small circle tip with the pasty cream.   Gently open up the cream puffs using the small slight created early fill the cream puff with the cream. Repeat with all puffs.

14) Melt chocolate over a double boiler on low heat.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Dip the cream puffs into the chocolate, covering any showing of the coloured pastry cream.   Let dry completely.
15) Serve and SURPRISE

These are a great idea for a gender reveal dessert.  Pretty easy to hide the cream.   I made all of the participants bite at the same time so that they were all surprised together.   Unfortunately one bite for someone led to some reveal cream ending up on her shirt but it was very exciting.   It was fun to have everyone make their predictions, even our niece and nephew were quite excited to see what was inside.

So as you can see we are having a GIRL! Very exciting and I am now looking forward to decorating and buying cute little dresses and outfits.  

This was another gender reveal dessert we did for some friends as a last minute meeting.   I had some cookie mix that came with a mini cast iron pan so I made the dough and hid in some pink chocolate pieces and then covered it so the pink baked inside and they had to cut in to find out.    This could also be done with brownies or other cookies as well.   I like my cute questions mark on top.

I also did two more gender reveal desserts so watch for the next post for some more ideas.